Abstract: This project will complete research to evaluate the effectiveness of universally designed environmental features and provide evidence to support universal design guidelines. Effectiveness is defined as the degree to which a feature facilitates independence and social participation of end users. Ratings of simulated environments incorporating the features will provide a simple and inexpensive method that can be adopted widely in research to support improvements in design practice. Selected built elements will be studied to provide benchmark data on current practices. The methods also will be used to evaluate new products developed with industry partners as models of how they can be applied in product development activities.

For more information about and access to the project's surveys, please visit the Built Environment research page